Multiple glazed unit



1959 T. H. HUGHES 2,873,486

MULTIPLE GLAZED UNIT Filed Dec 10, 1956 INVENTOR. 7HOMIIS H WWI/8 4United States Patent 2,873,486 MULTIPLE GLAZED UNIT Application December10,1956, SerlalNo) 627,362 6 Claims. (Cl. -'-56.5)

This invention relates to a multiple glazed window construction and ithas particular relationship to such construction. having an improvedmeans for mounting a lightmodifying screen in the air space between thesheets of glass forming the unit.

. Multiple. glazed units comprise .two or. more sheets of .glass spacedfrom one another. to provide an insulating airspace between the sheets.This air space is effec tive for 'reducingthe passage of heat throughthe unit due to conduction and convection, but does not satisfactorilyreduce heat transmission due to radiation. It is known to support alight modifying screen in the air chamber be tween the sheets. Suchscreens are in the form of fixed or adjustable. Venetian blinds andserve to reduce passage of sunlight through the unit, reduce glare oflight passing through the unit and reduce heat transfer through the unitdue to radiation.

Conventional light modifying screens contemplated for use in the presentinvention are composed of horizontal louvers or slats strung togetherone above the other and spaced from each other by suitable vertical wirestringers which pass through or around each slat. The slats are tiltedat a slight angle to the horizontal so as to reflect a portion of thesuns rays. g

Problems have been encountered in mounting these light modifying screenswithin a multiple glazed unit so as toobtain uniform transmission oflight. The screens should be maintained in one straight plane. If thereare any undulations or wavy portions in the screen, the angle of theslats to the horizontal in these portions will differ from the angle ofthe slats in other portions in the screen. In this case, the pattern oflight transmitted through the screen is. non-uniform and the reflectanceof the sun's rays is non-uniform.

One method employed to maintain the screen in a single plane between thesheets is to have the sheets of glass in touching relationship with thescreen on both sides of the screen. This method is unsatisfactory forthe thickness of the screen is small and the resulting air space betweenthe sheets of glass is not suflicient to provide substantial insulation.The thickness of the screens contemplated for use in the presentinvention is of the order of 1 inch, whereas, it is desired that theairspace be approximately fit to /2 inch in thickness. p

An objectof the present invention is to provide a multiple glazed unithaving a light modifying screen mounted therein in an air space ofgreater thickness than the thickness of the screen. a

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mounting meansin a multiple glazed unit for a light modifying screen so as to mountthe screen in a plane parallel to the glass sheets but out of contactwith the glass sheets.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a means for mountinga light modifying screen in a multiple glazed unit to preventundulations in the screen and consequent variations in lighttransmission and heat transmission through the screen and unit.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention 2,873,486 PatentedFeb. 17, 1959 2 will become more apparent by reference to the followingdescription of the drawing in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout:

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a multiple glazed unit embodyingthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section along lines lI-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a partial isometric view of a light modifying screen;

, Fig. 4 is an isometric view of a clip suitable for mounting a lightmodifying screen ina multiple glazed unit, and,

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of another lar to that shown in Fig. 4.

A multiple glazed unit 10 containing a light modifying screen 12 mountedtherein is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The unit is composed of two sheets ofglass 13 and 14 separated at their marginal edge by spacer element 16 soas to form an air space 17 between the sheets of glass 13 and 14. Thesheets of glass may be tempered, colored, laminated or have otherspecial strength or optical properties such as the ability to absorbultra-violet or infra-red rays.

The spacer element 16 comprises a metal tube having a protruding lockseam 18 extending along the length thereof on the side of the spacerfacing the interior of the unit. The spacer elementis preferably ofrectangular cross-section, but may be of any cross-section and thecentral enclosed space may be filled with a desiccant 20 as shown inFig. 2. The lock seam 18 may be formed by conventional metal rollingapparatus and comprises one edge portion 22 of the metal forming thetube having the other edge 24 wrapped around it. Before the seam formingoperation, the edge or marginal portion 24 is knurled to provide aplurality of lateral grooves 26 therein. The grooves 26 are provided onboth faces and around the end of the marginal edge portion 24.

p The spacer element 16 maybe formed by shaping fiat, aluminum stripsinto the cross-section illustrated. The spacer tubing may be formed fromany suitable metal, such as aluminum, stainless or carbon steels, andthe like, of 0.01 inch to 0.02 inch thickness. Such tubing is relativelyinexpensive compared to the cost of suitable extruded aluminum tubing.The channels or grooves 26 resulting from the knurling operation providea plurality of passageways from the outside of the spacer element 16 tothe inside thereof for permitting circulation of air from inside theunit into contact with the moisture absorbing desiccant 20. within thespacer element.

The spacer element 16 is adhered to the glass sheets 13 and 14 at theirmeeting faces by means of a thin, continuous film of a moistureimpervious mastic composition 30. .A compositionwhich has been found tobe most satisfactory as a mastic is adispersion of carbon black inpolyisobutylene such as set forth in U. S. Patent No. 2,551,952, grantedto Gerald E. Kunkle. Other caulking compounds or mastic compositions maybe employed but the above has been found to be quite suitable.

A rigid plate 31 having a screw threaded opening 32 therein is mountedacross the edges of the glass sheets 13 and 14 and spacer element 16 inline with a screw threaded opening 33 in the spacer element. The platemay be in the form of a circular Washer or other form such asrectangular. The plate is located at the center point along the top ofthe unit and other similar plates may be locatedat other points alongthe top of the unit depending upon the length of the top of the unit.

A screw 34 threaded into openings 32 and 33 permits the plate 31 tosupport the spacer element and prevent it from sagging downwardly intothe unit due to the weight of the screen 12 which is fastened to theseam 18 of the spacer element 12 as will be described below. A

type of clip simistrip of cushioning material35 such as polyethylene maybe inserted between the meeting faces of the plate and the edges of thesheets 13 and 14 to prevent chipping of the edges of the sheet. Inaddition to being between the spacer element and the glassv sheets intheirmeeting areas, the mastic compositionfitl'is also provided alongthe outer edge of the unit overlapping the edges of the glass sheets,spacer element and plates at 36 so as to provide a continuous moistureproof seal around the unit.

A channel member 38 of U-shaped cross-section is afiixed around theperiphery of the sealed unit. The channel member is made of metal 'suchas stainless steel. The angle which the flanges or sides of the channelmember form with the central portion of the channel member is slightlyless than 90. When the channel member is affixed to the edges of thesealed unit, these flanges are held apart to allow the sealed glassassembly to be inserted. After insertion of the glass assembly, theflanges are released and they spring back into contact with the faces ofthe glass sheets. The channel member is thus held around the edges ofthe sealed unit under tension. Other means may be employed to hold theglass sheets and spacer element in constant fixed relationship.

In accordance with the present invention, the light modifying screen 12is mounted within the air space 17 by clamping means 40. As shown inFig. 3, the screen 12 may comprise a series of small, thin, parallel,metal strips or slats 42 disposed horizontally, one above the other.Each slat is inclined at a slight angle to the horizontal and soproportioned in fixed relationship to the other slats as to constitute,in effect, a series of small louvers. These slats are maintained inproper fixed position with respect to each other by means of transversevertical wires or stringers 44 which are disposed at appropriateintervals across the width of the screen. Pairs of these wires, one oneach side of the screen, are twisted together as indicated at 46 toprovide eyelets 47 through which the slats 42 extend. The constructionof a screen of this type is Well understood by those skilled in the artand is commercially available in several forms, one form being known asKoolshade.

The clip 40 is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The clip comprises a hollowcylinder of suitable metal such as aluminum, being open at both ends andhaving a-longitudinal opening 50 extending completely along one sidethereof so as to present mating lips 54 and 56 for clamping onto thelock seam 18. The lips 54 and 56 may be ground on one or both sides soas to present a pointed lip. This permits the lips to fit snugly aroundthe seam. The cylindrical clipalso has one or more slots 57 extendingfrom the opening 56 more than half Way, but less than completely, aroundthe cylinder so as to permit it to be inserted around the verticallyextending stringer wires 44.

A modification of the clip 40 is shown in Fig. 5. This cilp may be usedalong the vertical portions of the spacer element to secure the sides ofscreen 12 to the vertical seam portions. The clip 60 as shown in Fig. issubstantially-of the same design as clip 40, with longitudinal slot 62extending completely along one side of the hollow, open cylinder so asto present mating portions 63 and 64 which can clamp to the lock seam18. In clip 60, numerous openings 67 similar to opening 57 of clip 40extend from openings 62 around the circumference of cylinder 60 for morethan half, but less than the'full, circumference so as to permit theclip to be inserted around the wires 44 along the sides of the screen.This maintains the sides of the screen in a straight vertical planespaced from the inside surfaces of the sheets 13 and 14.

In assembly of the multiple glazed unit, the clips 40 or'dtl are firstpassed through the screen 12 and then clamped to the lock seam 18. Theclip 40 is inserted around the slats at the intersection of the stringerwires withthe' slats with about an equal portion of theclip extending oneither side of the wires 44. This prevents distortion of the slats atthe point of contact with the mounting clips. The clips 60 may be passedaround the vertical wires 44 and through the slats at any position alongthe sides of the screen.

The screen is then fastened under tension to the lock seam of the spacerelement by bringing the meeting edges 54 and 56 of clip 40 and 63 and 64of clip 60 into position around the protruding lock seam. A clamping orsqueezing means, such as a pair of pliers may be employed to press themeeting edges inwardly toward each other and around the lock seam. tohold the clip in place on the seam.

The mastic'30 is then applied to the edges of the spacer element 16which are to contact the, marginal edge surfaces of the glass sheets 13and 14. This may be done either before or after the screen is attachedto the spacer element. The spacer element with screen attached is thenassembled between the glass sheets, the mastic strip 36 applied andchannel-38 afjxed around the assembly to fasten it together. Asdescribed above, other suitable means may be employed to hold the edgesof the glass sheets and spacer element in fixed relation.

Although the present invention has been described with reference tospecific details of certain embodiments thereof, it is not intended thatsuch details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of theinvention except insofar as included in the accompanying claims:

I claim:

1. A multiple glazed unit comprising a plurality of sheets of glassseparated by a marginal edge spacer element having a longitudinal seamextending along one side of the element, a light modifying screencomposed of horizontal slats held in spaced relation by verticalsupporting means, said screen being held in rigid planar positionbetween the sheets by a series of clips passing through the screen andfastening to the seam, and means for bolding the glass sheets and spacerelement in fixed relationship to each other.

2. A multiple glazed unit as described in claim 1 wherein the clips passbetween the slats of the screen at an intersection of the slats with thevertical supporting means and fasten to the seam along a horizontalportion of the spacer element.

3. The multiple glazed unit as described in claim 2 wherein the'screenis further fastened to the seam by means of clips which pass around thevertical supporting means and between the slats and fasten to the seamalong a vertical portion of the spacer element.

4. A multiple glazed unit comprising a plurality of sheets of glassseparated by a marginal edge spacer element having protrusions extendingalong the side of the element facing the interior of the unit, a lightmodifying screen composed of horizontal slats held in spaced relation byvertical supporting means, said screen being held in rigid positionbetween the sheets by a series of clips passing through the screen andfastening to the protrusions on the spacer element and means for holdingthe glass sheets and spacer element in fixed relationship to each other.

5. A multiple glazed unit comprising a plurality of sheets of glassseparated by a marginal edge spacer element in the shape of a tubularmember having a longitudinal seam extending along one side of theelement facing the interior of the unit, said seam including a pair ofoverlapped surfaces, one of said overlapped surfaces having a series oftransversely extending grooves therein whereby the grooves provide amultiplicity of passages through said seam, a desiccant in the spacerelement, a light modifying screen composed of horizontal slats held inspaced relation by vertical supporting means, said screen being held inrigid position between the sheets by a series of clips passing throughthe screen and fastening to the seam,.and

asvanse means for holding the glass sheets and spacer element in fixedrelationship to each other.

6. A multiple glazed unit comprising a plurality of sheets of glassseparated by a marginal edge spacer element, a moisture and vaporimpervious mastic composition between the marginal edge spacer elementand the marginal edges of the sheets of glass, a light modifying screencomposed of horizontal slats held in spaced relation by verticalsupporting means, said screen being fastened to the spacer element alongthe top of the unit and suspended in rigid planar position between thesheets, rigid, plate-like, supporting means fastened to the spacerReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,988,964 Barrows Jan. 22, 1935 2,318,955 Milnor May 11, 1943 2,545,906Watkins Mar. 20, 1951 2,593,539 Cohen Apr. 22, 1952

